As the trade war between Canada and the U.S. intensifies, a new poll finds approval for Ontario Premier Doug Ford and B.C. Premier David Eby has grown since June but it hasn’t made much of an impact for other premiers in the country.
The last survey from the Angus Reid Institute released on Wednesday shows “big bumps in approval” for Ontario’s and B.C.’s premiers — up 10 per cent for both, at 31 per cent for Ford and 41 per cent for Eby.
As the trade war intensified between Canada and the U.S., Ford initially didn’t mince words in his war of words with U.S. President Donald Trump. Ford has since toned down his rhetoric, saying it is better to bring the temperature down between the two countries as the trade war escalates.
However, Ford still has the lowest approval rating compared to others premiers in the country.
“At issue is perhaps the lingering effects of spending scandals by Ford government MPPs. Twenty PC caucus members came under fire for expensing hotels during government sittings despite living nearby. The hotel scandal comes on the heels of a private plane kerfuffle earlier this year,” the poll states.
According to the survey, the escalation of the trade war helped boost his popularity in March 2025 and the continued intensity is “perhaps to Eby’s political benefit.”
“Eby may also benefit by being seen as better option than the alternative, B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. Barely three months into the job, her caucus has splintered,” the poll states.
However, the survey notes that unlike last year, when a previous poll found rising personal popularity for the majority of the premiers, few appear to be benefiting this time around from the trade tensions between Canada and the U.S.
In the latest poll, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has the highest approval rating at 63 per cent (up one per cent), while Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe both came in second with 48 per cent support (down two per cent).
Elsewhere in the country, support for Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette has been steady at 39 per cent since the previous quarter, while the approval rating for Alberta Danielle Smith is down one per cent to 38 per cent.
“Smith’s status quo comes as the governing UCP sorts through the aftermath of a surprise byelection defeat in a conservative stronghold and just weeks ahead of the Alberta referenda on separation and other issues. Fréchette has evidently built little momentum as the governing Coalition Avenir Québec to fend off the resurgent Parti Québécois in next month’s election,” the survey notes.
Poll methodology: The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from Sept 8-15, 2026, among a randomized sample of 4,310 Canadian adults. The provincial margin of errors range from +/-3% to +/- 7%.
Read the full poll results below:
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